Postage printer for address printing machines



1952 J. J. ACKELL ET AL 2,622,514

POSTAGE PRINTER FOR ADDRESS PRINTING MACHINES Filed Jan. 24, 1950 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1 FIG.

JOSIIEPH d fl i HERBERT L. PAULO/N6 A T TOPNEV Dec. 23, 1952 J. .1. ACKELL ET AL 2,622,534

POSTAGE PRINTER FOR ADDRESS PRINTING MACHINES Filed Jan. 24, 1950 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 F [6. 4 INVENTORS FIG. 3

JOSEPH J. ACKELL HERBERT L PA UL DING A TTORNEV Patented Dec. 23, 1952 POSTAGE PRINTER FOR ADDRESS PRINTING MACHINES Joseph J. Ackell, Bellaire, and Herbert L. Paulding, Port Washington, N. Y., assignors to Dow Jones & Company, Inc., Wilmington, DeL, a

corporation of Delaware Application January 24, 1950, Serial No. 140,236

1 Claim.

The present invention relates to a machine which will print addresses on articles and which,

when desired, will simultaneously print a postage-paid indicia closely adjacent to the address. Since postage-paid indicia must identify the city from which mail is dispatched under a postagepaid permit, provision is also made for convenient and rapid changing of the portion of the postage-paid printing plate which identifies the city.

One machine to which the present invention may be adapted is a commercially available addressing and wrapping machine particularly designed for use with newspapers. Ordinarily the newspapers are folded once along a horizontal centrally located line and they are fed through the machine with the mast-head down to a position wherein the upper right-hand corner of the front page is positioned over an address printing plate lying in printing position within a channel in the bed of the machine. An impression head is arranged to strike the newspaper directly above the address printing plate when the newspaper is positioned as just described. The newspaper is then fed from the printing position to suitable folding and wrapping mechanism from which it is ejected with the address exposed as required by postal regulations. The address plates are successively fed through the channel in timed relation with the feeding of newspapers by mechanism which is well known and need not be described herein. An inking ribbon is mounted so as to be disposed above the address printing plate and thus to lie between the plate and the portion of the newspaper upon which the address is to be printed. Well-known mechanism is provided for feeding the inking ribbon through the machine so as to present freshly inked portions when needed.

In accordance with the present invention a supplemental printing plate assembly and supplemental impression head is provided so that, when desired, postage-paid indicia may be printed upon the newspaper at a point very close to the address as required by postal regulations. To this end the bed of the addressing machine is altered to permit the insertion at a level generally coinciding with the level of the address printing plate of a postage-paid printing plate assembly. The postage-paid printing plate assembly is preferably made in two parts, one of which may be more or less permanently affixed to the bed and the other of which is so designed as to be conveniently accessible from a position beyond the inking ribbon and readily removable 2 for the purpose of replacing it with one of a series of similar printing plate portions.

The supplemental impression head may be mounted upon the arm which carries the address impression head and preferably includes conveniently accessible means for withdrawing the supplemental impression head from operative position when it is not desired to print postagepaid indicia simultaneously with the address.

With the apparatus thus generally described, it is possible to address and wrap all of the newspapers published in a particular plant which are to be distributed by mail. For those newspapers which are addressed to points requiring no postage-paid indicia, the address alone is printed. For those newspapers which are to be shipped in bulk to a distant city for distribution by mail from the post oifice in the latter city, the postage-paid indicia with proper city designation is printed.

It is the object of the present invention to provide apparatus for printing, when desired, postage indicia simultaneously with and adjacent to address indicia on articles which are to be distributed by mail. Other and further objects will become apparent upon a consideration of the following detailed description of a preferred form of the invention taken in connection with the drawing accompanying and forming a part of this specification.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a portion of an addressing machine to which the present invention is applied;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of a portion of the machine shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a detailed View, partially in section, of the impression mechanism of the machine shown in Fig. 1; and

Fig. 4 is an elevational view of the impression mechanism shown in Figs. 1 and 3.

Referring now to the drawings, in Fig. 1 there are shown certain essential parts of an addressing and wrapping machine commercially available and widely used in the newspaper publishing business. Such machine includes a bed H] upon which is mounted a magazine 12 for holding a stacked supply of address plates M. The bed ID has formed therein a transverse slot It at the upper edges of which are formed shoulders I8 and 20 which lie at a level slightly below the plane of the top of the bed It]. The lowermost address plate [4 within the magazine 12 rests upon the shoulders l8 and 20 and at the proper time such lowermost address plate I4 is moved transversely from the magazine to slide along the shoulders I8 and 20 to the printing position occupied by the address plate 22 as shown in Fig. 1. The mechanism for moving the address plates along the shoulders l8 and 20 includes a shuttle mechanism (not shown) working through the slot [6. Such mechanism is well known and need not be described herein, it being understood that the address plates are moved individually and intermittently across the machine to successively occupy the printing position and thereafter to be ejected through a suitable opening 24 into a collecting magazine (not shown beneath the bed Ill.

The movement of the address plates from the magazine I4 is timed with the operation of the impression mechanism in a well-known manner. The impression mechanism includes a shaft 26 which may rotate constantly during operation of the machine, and to which is fixed a cam 28 having a cam track 3!] in which is positioned a roller follower 32 carried by the lower end 34 of an impression arm pivoted on a shaft 36. The impression arm includes a generally horizontally disposed upper portion 38 which carries an address impression head 49 of conventional construction.

The address impression head 40 includes an impression block 42 positioned within a carrier 44 which is fixed to a vertically disposed threaded rod 46 extending through a suitably shaped portion 48 of the casting forming the impression arm 38. The upper end of the threaded rod 46 extends above the arm 38 and receives a pair of lock nuts 50 which may be adjusted into desired position for printing on newspapers of various thicknesses. Compression springs are positioned between the casting 48 and the carrier 44 to urge the impression block 42 downwardly to the position permitted by the lock nuts 59. The springs 52 serve to apply yielding pressure to the impression block 42 when the impression arm 38 is moved downwardly to cause the printing of an address.

The cam track 30 has a depressed portion 3! which is so positioned and timed with relation to the address plate feeding mechanism as to swing the impression arm 33 downwardly when an address plate has been moved to the position 22 and a newspaper 53 has been moved to the position shown in Fig. 1.

An inking ribbon 54 extends lengthwise of the bed I!) over a roller 56 at the rear of the bed In and over a roller 58 located within a suitable opening 60 toward the front of the bed Ill. The inking ribbon 54 is conducted downwardly through the opening 60 to suitable feeding mechanism (not shown) which serves to move the ribbon 54 slowly along the bed I!) to present freshly inked portions to the impression point.

As shown most clearly in Figs. 2 and 3, a retaining plate 62 is secured to the bed I in such a position as to slightly overlap the shoulder [8 of the address plate slot Hi. This retaining plate 62 extends from the magazine through the zone in which the address plates are successively positioned for printing. Thus the address plate 22 is shown lying beneath the extended lip of the plate 62. The lip aforesaid may be beveled as shown at 64. Ordinarily there is another retaining plate similar to the plate 62 mounted in such position as to extend over the shoulder 20 of the slot 16. Such plate is provided by the manufacturer of the machine but it has been removed for the purposes of the present invention.

The machine as described to this point is a commercially available machine, the specific details of which form no part of the present invention, it being understood that machines of generally similar nature but differing in detail may be used in connection with the present invention. In the event the present invention is to b adapted to machines of other types, it is essential that the postage printing plate assembly be mounted very close to the impression point for the address plates and such positioning may or may not involve the removal of any of the standard parts of the machine to which the invention is to be adapted.

The postage printing plate assembly of the present invention is indicated generally at 66. It is preferably made up of two separate parts 68 and H! which are fitted into a plate 12 secured to the bed it, for example, by screws 14.

The part 63 of the postage printing plate assembly comprises a metal plate having a beveled edge 16 overhanging the shoulder 20 of channel [6 and serving the purpose of retaining the address plates within the channel. The plate 68 has certain postage printing indicia 18 formed therein or attached thereto in any suitable manner; for example, the plate 68 may be engraved leaving appropriate lettering in relief. Alternatively the plate 68 may have an pening of suitable size cut therein in which there may be fastened a separate plate having appropriate lettering. The plate 68 is secured to the bed ID by screws 89, 82 and 84, the screws 82 and 84 being passed through a narrow strip of metal 86 having a free end 88 which extends beyond an edge of the plate 68 for a purpose to be described. As shown in the drawing the plate 68 is of irregular outline having an edge portion 90 which is parallel with the path of travel of the address plates through the machine and having a portion 92 which is disposed at an angle to said path. The plate 12 is provided with an edge 94 which is parallel with the edge 92 of the plate 63 whereby the edges 92 and 94 will define a channel having parallel walls to receive the plate l!) of the postag printing plate assembly.

The plate it comprises a metal plate of width suitable for reception in the channel between the edges 92 and 94 aforesaid. The plate 10 is also irregularly shaped having an edge 95 which is cut at an angle to the remainder of the plate 10 so that the edge 96 will coincide with the edge 90 when the parts are in the position shown in Fig. 2. The plate 10 is held firmly in position by pressure exerted by the extension 88 of the strip 86. The screw 84 may be loosened to permit the plat 10 to be withdrawn by sliding downwardly as viewed in Fig. 2. Finger hole 98 is provided to facilitate handling of the plate '10. The plate I0 has suitable lettering formed therein or attached thereto as described above in connection with the plate 68. Such lettering is indicated at I00 and is So positioned on the plate 10 as to be properly aligned with the lettering carried by the plat 68.

Ordinarily the plate 68, which is more or less permanently attached to the bed It], will carry the legend U. S. Postage 1 Paid. The plat 10 will carry lettering identifying the city from which the mail is to be dispatched and ordinarily will include the permit number. The plate 10 may be one of a group of plates carrying suitable lettering for printing the name of any desired city and for printing the appropriate permit numbers.

The plate lies in the channel between the walls 92 and 94 as described above and this channel is disposed at an angle to the path of the address plates through the machine. This disposition makes it possible to remove the interchangeable plate I0 without interference with the base I2 of the address plate magazine. It

also will be observed that the free end of the plate 10 extends into an accessible position well beyond the inking ribbon 54 and beyond any newspaper which might be positioned in the machine at the time it is desired to change the city designation in the postage printing plate assembly.

The construction just described results in a considerable saving in cost over the cost that would be involved if the postage paid plate for each city were to be made complete in one piece. In the latter event each such plate would have to include the letters U. S. Postage l Paid in addition to the city designation and permit number. Obviously costs are reduced in proportion to the reduction in the number of letters which must be formed. Therefore it is advantageous to provide the plate 60 with such lettering as must accompany all city designations and to place on the removable plate 10 only such lettering as must be changed when a city designation is changed. It will be observed that the lettering I8 on the plate 68 is located very close to the channel within which the address plates move and is so positioned that an impression formed from the lettering on the plate 68 will lie very close to the impression formed from the address plate 22.

A supplemental impression head generally indicated at I02 is provided for making an impression from the postage plate assembly when it is desired to do so. The supplemental impression head I02 may be attached to the address impression head 40 on the impression arm 38 so that the impressions may be formed simultaneously. As shown in the drawings, the supplemental impression head I02 may comprise a block I 04 having a vertically disposed bore I06 for receivin a rod I08 having an impression block I I0 secured to the lower end thereof. A recess H2 is formed in the block I04 to receive a compression spring II4, the lower end of which rests upon a pair of lock nuts IIIi carried by a threaded portion of the rod I08. At its upper end, the rod I08 is threaded to receive another pair of lock nuts I I8, the lower one of which bears upon a washer IIS resting upon the upper surface of the block I04. The lock nuts II 8 at the upper end of rod I08 may be adjusted to raise and lower the impression block I I0 for operation upon newspapers of various thicknesses. The spring H4 is provided to apply yielding pressure through the impression block I I0 onto the newspaper positioned therebeneath in registry with the indicia carried by the postage printing plates 68 and 10. The lock nuts I I6 may be adjusted in accordance with the adjustment of the lock nuts II8 so that the pressure exerted by the spring II4 may be kept uniform irrespective of the vertical position of the impression block IIO as determined by the lock nuts H8. It will be understood that if the lock nuts II6 were not provided, the spring II4 would exert varying degrees of pressure, depending upon the particular adjustment of the lock nuts H8.

The supplemental impression head I02 may be secured to the regular impression head 40 in any suitable manner. As shown in the drawings four screws I20 may be extended through suitable unthreaded openings formed in the block I04 and projected into engagement with threaded openings formed in the casting 48 forming a part of the impression head 40. Two set screws I22 may be threaded into the block I04 and provided with pointed ends which bear against the face of the casting 40. At the lower end of the block I04 there may be secured two parallel bars I24 which extend rearwardly beyond the block I04 so as to catch under the lower edge of the casting 48 of the regular impression head 40. By suitable adjustment of the screws I20 and the set screws I22, the block I04 may be tilted relative to the regular impression head 40 and held in proper adjusted position wherein the lower face of the impression block IIO will lie in the proper plane for forming an impression from the postage printing indicia. The downward thrust incident to printing is transmitted from the impression arm 38 to the supplemental impression head I02 through the bars I24 and screws I20, I22 aforesaid.

To prevent rotation of the rod I08 within the block I04, there is provided a vertically disposed slot I20 cut in the block I04 and disposed radially of the rod I03. A pin I28 is secured to the rod I08 in a radial position and extends into the slot I26 wherein it may move to and fro vertically as the rod I08 moves within the block I04.

As stated above, there may be occasions when it is not desired to print postage indicia simultaneously with the printing of addresses, and to that end suitable mechanism is provided for raising the impression block H0 against the spring IE4 into a position wherein it will not touch the article when the impression arm 38 is moved downwardly to print the address. To this end the block I04 may be provided with a suitable horizontally disposed opening which receives a short shaft I30 having an eccentric cam I32 positioned at the inner end thereof beneath the washer I I9. The cam I32 may lie in a suitable slot I34 cut in the block I04 as clearly shown in Figs. 3 and 4. At its outer end, the shaft I30 is provided with a handle I36 secured to the shaft and so located as to be conveniently accessible. When the cam I32 and handle I36 are in the positions shown in Figs. 3 and 4, the low part of the cam I32 lies beneath the washer I I9 and the impression hammer H0 lies in operative position. Turning the handle I36 through will rotate the high part of the cam I32 in such manner as to raise the washer H0 and the shaft I03 into such position that the impression hammer I00 is inoperative.

Modifications and variations in detail may ocour to those skilled in the art, and since the present disclosure is illustrative rather than limiting, it is intended that the invention shall include such modifications and variations as fall within the proper scope of the following claim.

What is claimed is:

In an addressing machine a bed having a channel formed therein for receiving a series of individual address printing plates, a first postage printing plate secured to said bed carrying postage printing indicia in close proximity with said channel, a blank plate secured to said bed, one edge of said blank plate and an edge of said postage printing plate being spaced from one another to define a slideway, a second postage printing plate having additional postage printing indicia thereon, said second postage printing plate being shaped to fit said slideway and being one of a series of plates of identical shape with different indicia thereon, an inking ribbon disposed over said address printing plate and over the indicia on said first and second postage printing plates, said second postage printing plate having an extension thereon projecting beyond said inking ribbon to provide ready access thereto for interchange with other plates of said series, and means accessible beyond said inking ribbon for clamping said second postage printing plate in a position with the printing indicia thereon in predetermined relation with the indicia on said first postage printin plate.

JOSEPH J. ACKELL.

HERBERT L. PAULDING.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

Number UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Milhado Mar. 31,1896 Lukens Feb. 17-, 1914 Lee Jan. 9, 1917 Adams Apr. 10, 1917 Martin Jan. 29, 1918 Elliott Aug. 8, 1933 Elliott July 17, 1934 Allen Mar. 3, 1936 Gollwitzer Oct. 11, 1938 Ogden Nov. 7, 1939 Elliott Feb. 6, 1940 Krell Feb. 6, 1940 Rouan June 18, 1940 Gol-lwitzer Aug. 5, 1947 

